Plug for railroad-ties and the like



A. HEIM.

' PLUG FOR RAILROAD TIES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1919 1,338,444, mm Apr. 27,192

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A TTORNEY-S ADAM HEIM, or LIBERTY, INDIANA.

PLUG FUR RAILROAD-TIES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Application filed June 21, 1919. Serial No. 305,786.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, ADAM HEIM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Liberty, county of Union, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Plug for Railroad-Ties and the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to a means for plugging old spike holes in used railway ties wherein spikes have been withdrawn, and it is desired to use the same spike holes with new spikes when old ties are used on a new road, rails are removed and replaced, or the spikes replaced. As the holes have become enlarged by removing the spikes or have become slightly decayed and soft from the elements, it is necessar to insert a filler for securing the spike t erein. The ordinary method of filling a hole is to plug it with a wooden pe and drive the spike into substantially t e center of the peg the same as it would be driven into a solid tie.

The difliculty experienced in using this method is that the eg near its top surface, engaged by the spike under heavy blows, splits and permits the spike to be driven therein splitting the peg with the grain, and in most cases the grain being irregular or at an angle, the spike will necessarily follow the grain, which will cause it to curve and not enter the tie straight. The force exerted in driving the spike into the peg will tend to drive it farther down into the hole, and the bottom of the hole being soft from the action of the elements will permit the pegto be driven down below the surface of the tie, so that a cup will be formed in which water will collect and cause the peg and surrounding portion of the peg to rot so as to loosen the grip of the spike.

The object of this invention is to overcome these disadvantages and permit an old spike hole to be reclaimed and used, which object is accomplished by providing a filler of two strips of wood in such a manner that the spike may be driven directly downwardly between them, whereby they will not be split with the grain, and which will .extend upward and engage the head of the spike so that no depression will be formed when the spike is driven therein, the con struction of which will be hereinafter more fully shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a railroad tie showing a section of a rail in position and the railroad spike driven in said tie. Fig. 2 shows a section of a railroad tie with the plugging strips in position before the spike is inserted. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one ofthe plugging strips.

In the drawings there is shown a railroad tie 10 having a rail 11 secured thereon, and the railroad spikes 12 inserted and driven between the plugging strips 13 which are mounted in the spike hole 14 of the tie.

The plugging strips 13 are formed with oppositely beveled ends so that when they are placed together within the spike hole of the tie the lower ends, when joined, will form a pointed end adapted to extend to the bottom of the spike hole formed by the removal of the old spike, while the upper ends will form a recess for facilitating the entering of thespike l2 and engage and conform to the head of the spike after it has. been driven therein so that no cavity will be formed at the surface of the railroad tie, whereby water will be prevented from collecting about the spike and plug. The adja-' cent beveled ends at the top of the strip will extend slightly above the surface of the rail and permit the spike to enter between them and guide its downward movement so that it will follow strai ht and it will not be deflected and bent y the grain, as is the case with a single peg. As soon as the spike enters between the plugging strips it exerts a lateral pressure and forces or mashes them tightly against the sides of the hole so that the continued hammering of the spike for forcing it downward will not force down the strips or cause them to be jammed farther into the hole and below the surface of the tie as would be the case in a solid peg. The head of the spike will jam against the reduced and beveled upper ends so that they will seal themselves to the neck and against the head of said spike.

The invention claimed is:

1. A railroad tie plug comprising a plugether one end'will be pointed and the other beveled ends on said wooden strip for form- 10 end recessed. ing a pointed lower end and a recessed up- 2. The combination of a railroad tie havper end for facilitating the entry of said in a hole therein and a rail spike adapted spike between said strips and causing a seal to e driven into said hole, of means for fi11- to be made about the head of said spike. ing said hole whereby said spike will be se- In witness whereof I have hereunto af- '15 curely gripped, including a pair of wooden fiifed my signature. strips adapted to fit snugly within said hole a and lie adjacent each other, with oppositely I 1 ADAM HEIM. 

